ClearRoute Consulting - Supply Chain & Operations Consultancy

Is this you?

If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place.

"We've grown quickly but our processes haven't kept up."

"We don't have anyone internally who really understands supply chain."

"We can't justify a full-time operations hire, but we need the expertise."

"We're losing time and money to inefficiencies we can't quite pin down."

"We've tried consultants before and they didn't really get us."

"We want to scale but don't know which systems can help us grow."

That's exactly why ClearRoute Consulting exists. I work with SME owners who need serious operational experience, but want someone who feels like part of the team, not an outsider with a clipboard.

I treat your business like family. I won't come in and tear up what you've built. I take the time to understand your pain points, learn how your team actually works, and only then start shaping solutions that fit, not ones forced from a template.

Industries I work across

Manufacturing

Process mapping, supplier management, and production efficiency across discrete and batch manufacturing.

Electronics & PCBA

OEM and CEM experience from component sourcing and BOMs through to DFM and production handover.

Logistics & Distribution

Freight cost reduction, 3PL setup, and warehouse operations for businesses that ship at scale.

Offshore Manufacturing

Supplier qualification, lead time control, and quality assurance for businesses manufacturing abroad.

SME & Growth Stage

Building the operational foundations growing businesses need, without the cost of a full-time hire.

Family-Run Businesses

Practical help that respects what's already working and builds around your team, not over it.

Nick Dreesden

Most operations consultants have never had to sell anything. I have — and that changes how I see every problem.

I've spent 20 years working across manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement for businesses of all shapes and sizes, from family-run manufacturers to OEMs and contract electronics manufacturers (CEMs). But I've also carried sales targets, managed customer relationships, and felt the commercial pressure that operations decisions create. That combination is rare, and it means I understand both sides of the table.

I don't fix processes in isolation. I understand what a delayed shipment costs in a customer relationship, why your sales team are frustrated with ops, and why the right solution is one your team will actually stick to. I don't do big presentations and corporate jargon — I show up, listen properly, and learn your business before I suggest anything.

Sometimes what needs fixing is obvious — broken systems, no visibility, everything running on spreadsheets. Sometimes it's subtler — things that work, but could work a lot better. Either way, I stay until it's sorted.

If that sounds like what you need, let's have a conversation.

How it works

Simple, low-risk, and built around your business.

1

Free Intro Call

Online, 30 minutes

No commitment, no pitch
Understand your business challenges
Honest assessment of how I can help
No obligation to proceed

2

Scoping Session

Fixed fee - £750

Deep dive into your operations
Supply chain and process review
Pain point and opportunity mapping
Written action plan you keep
Clear deliverables, no surprises

3

Ongoing Consultancy

Optional monthly retainer

Agreed deliverables each month
Regular check-ins and reporting
Hands-on implementation support
No salary, NI, or pension costs

Light Advisory £1,400/month

~3 days/month. KPI review, ad hoc support, supplier monitoring.

Standard Support £2,500/month

~1 day/week. Project involvement, strategy sessions, hands-on problem-solving.

Embedded / Fractional POA

Project dependant. Part-time supply chain director, fully embedded in your team.

Where I go deep.

Pick one area or bring me across the whole operation. Either way, the work is practical and built to last.

I work across manufacturing, logistics, and a range of other sectors. If your business makes, moves, or manages physical products, I've almost certainly seen your problem before.

01Supply chain assessment

End-to-end review of your supply chain, from raw materials through to delivery. I identify bottlenecks, single points of failure, and hidden costs, then map out a clear path to a more resilient operation.

02Market assessment

I analyse your competitive landscape, supplier base, and market positioning to find opportunities you might be missing and threats you should be planning for.

03Inventory costdowns

A deep dive into your stock holding, purchasing patterns, and supplier terms to reduce carrying costs, eliminate dead stock, and free up working capital without impacting service levels.

04Freight cost analysis

I review your logistics spend, carrier agreements, and shipping patterns to find savings. Often there are quick wins in consolidation, route planning, and renegotiating terms.

05Systems & process redesign

When your processes have grown organically and stopped working, I redesign them from the ground up. Practical, implementable changes that your team can actually follow.

06ERP selection, mapping & rollout

Choosing and implementing an ERP is one of the biggest decisions a growing business makes. I help you select the right system, map your processes into it, and manage the rollout so it doesn't derail your day-to-day.

07CRM selection & integration

I help you pick a CRM that fits how your sales team actually works, integrate it with your existing systems, and make sure it gets used properly rather than gathering dust.

08Workflow mapping

I document how work actually flows through your business, not how people think it does. This reveals the gaps, duplications, and handoff failures that cost you time and money every day.

09Manufacturing process & compliances

From shop floor layout to regulatory compliance, I review your manufacturing processes and help you meet industry standards without drowning in paperwork.

10Go-to-market strategy

Bridging the gap between having a product and actually selling it. I help with channel strategy, pricing, positioning, and building the operational backbone to support growth.

11Prototype to production-ready product

Taking a prototype through to a manufacturable, scalable product. I handle supplier sourcing, tooling decisions, quality requirements, and production planning.

12Design for Manufacture (DFM)

I work with your design and engineering teams to make sure products are designed with manufacturing in mind from the start, reducing costs, lead times, and quality issues down the line.

Workflows & Automations

Your systems should talk to each other. I help you connect the tools you already use, eliminate manual data entry, and build workflows that run your business while you focus on growing it.

Example integration map. I design the right architecture for your business, connecting the systems that matter and eliminating the ones that don't.

Real results

Every engagement is different. Here are some examples of the impact I've delivered.

Small Business — NFC Technology Delivered in 3 months

Building an operations foundation for a fast-growing NFC technology start-up

The challenge

A small business producing NFC-enabled products had grown quickly off the back of strong demand but had no formal supply chain, fulfilment process, or inventory control in place. Orders were being managed manually, stock visibility was near zero, and the team had no clear process for handling supplier lead times or batch production runs.

What I did

Mapped the end-to-end supply chain from component sourcing to customer fulfilment
Introduced inventory tracking and reorder processes to eliminate stockouts
Structured a simple, scalable fulfilment workflow to handle volume growth
Identified and onboarded a reliable third-party logistics partner
Built supplier scorecards and lead time tracking to improve procurement reliability

3 months From audit to go-live

0 → full Stock visibility achieved

3PL Partner onboarded

Scalable Fulfilment process built

OEM Scale-up Delivered in 3 months

End-to-end ERP implementation with full systems integration, taking a startup from spreadsheets to a scalable operation

The challenge

A growing OEM startup was running everything through Excel and Xero, including purchase orders, stock tracking, and financials. They had no ERP, no warehouse management, and no structured product lifecycle. As they moved from prototype to production, they needed systems that could scale with them, not hold them back.

What I did

Selected and implemented a full ERP platform to replace spreadsheets and Xero-based purchasing
Integrated HubSpot CRM with the ERP so sales orders flow through automatically
Linked the ERP back to Xero for real-time financial reporting
Built a proper WMS for inventory management and stock control
Designed a new SKU structure and product release process from engineering through to DFM
Created new product streams with full manufacturing stage tracking on the ERP
Extensive testing and research into company operations to drive efficiency

3 months Full implementation

3 systems ERP + CRM + Xero integrated

Automated Sales to finance pipeline

Ongoing Continuous improvement plans

What clients say

"Nick was a fantastic asset and got to work fixing systems and processes for the better. He gets stuck in and learns about how our business operates before choosing the best path for us."

Technology Manufacturing

"Nick came in and built our systems from the ground up to scale from start-up to small business. This included a full ERP transition and automating our other systems to link them together and work autonomously."

Clean Energy

"Nick has a deep understanding of the full sales-to-supply 360 view, which we found unique compared to other consultants. He engaged with our customers' pain points and worked on solutions that actually worked for them."

Electronics Distribution

Frequently asked questions

Are there any hidden fees?

No. I'm very transparent with my pricing — if a project price is agreed, it won't change. No surprises, no scope creep charges, no small print.

How much data and information would you need access to?

There's no fixed requirement — you share what you're comfortable with. As a general rule, the more visibility I have across your operations, data, and processes, the more targeted and actionable my recommendations will be. Most clients find that openness from the outset leads to faster, more impactful results.

What about sharing confidential information?

I do not share any details of the projects I work on, and I'm happy to sign an NDA to give you peace of mind that everything we work on together stays private and confidential.

Does it matter what size business we are?

No, I work with all shapes and sizes to help you scale up even if a full-time ops director isn't on the cards yet.

Do you work on-site or remotely?

Both. Some work is perfectly suited to remote; other projects need me on the shop floor or in your warehouse. We agree upfront what makes sense for your situation.

Do you implement changes or just advise?

Both. I don't hand over a report and disappear. I work alongside your team to make sure changes actually stick.

What's the difference between a project and a retainer?

A project has a defined scope and deliverable. A retainer gives you ongoing access — regular check-ins, hands-on support, and someone to call when things come up month to month.

Will you work alongside our existing team?

Yes. I'm not here to replace anyone. I work with your people, learn how the business actually operates, and help them get to a better place.

What if I'm not sure what the problem is?

That's fine — it's one of the most common starting points. A discovery call or initial assessment usually makes things a lot clearer very quickly.

How quickly can you get started?

Quickly. Once we've had an initial call and agreed scope, I can typically be up and running within a week. There's no lengthy onboarding process — I get stuck in fast and learn your business as we go.

Let's start with a conversation

If you're wondering whether ClearRoute Consulting could help your business, the best thing to do is book a free 30-minute intro call. No hard sell, no jargon, just an honest chat.

Fill in the form and I'll be in touch within one working day to arrange a time that suits you.

Contact details

Nick Dreesden

07872 617 397

nick@clearrouteconsulting.co.uk